Selective lever.



No. 885.814. PATENTBD APR. as, 1908.v T. W. WARNER an P. H. JONES.V

SELEGTIVE LEVER. APPLICATION HLB'D Armas, 1901.-

a sHEr'Ts-snnm 1.

No. 885,814. h -PATENTE APR. 28, 1908. T. W. WARNER 8 8. H. 88.1888.

l SELEGTIVE LEVER; APPLwATloN FILED 8811.22, 1807 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Illllh "mllll'llllllll No. 885,814.V i PATENTED APR. 28, 1908 v T. WARNER & F. H. JONES.

,sBLEeTI-VE LEVER. f

P I T NHLBI) n.22 1 A PL 0A 1 A -907 ssamm-SHEET s.

'be' ereinafter more particularly described.

States, 4residi arras rA'rnNT-j einen.

THOMAS W. WARNER AND FRANK H. JONES, OFV MUNCIE; INDIANA.

SEIIJECTIVE LEVER'.

- Ne. essaie.'

.To au www a may 6.5mm, l Beit known that We, THOMAS W. WARNER land FRANK H. Jones, citizens of theUnited at Muncie, 4in thel county of Delaware andv tate of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Selective Levers, of which the fllowing is a. ,I specification. i ,()ur present invention relates to that class bf, shifting levers, principally used in auto- .mobile construction, by

means of which either of a plurality of sub-levers may be p- ;erated from `a single main operating lever.

A Said invention consists'in' certain improvements 1n the constructlon and arrangement of arts 'of a device of thls character, as will Referring to thev drawi s, which are made apart hereof, and on Whic `similar reference characters indicate similar par-ts, Figure 1 is la side elevation of a structure of the charac- .ter in question, assembled ready Ytobe a plied to the machine upon which it is' to e `lsed; Fig. 2 a central vertical sectional view thereof, some parts, however, bein shown in elevation for pur oses of better i ustration; Fi 3 a sectlona view lookin toward the le t from the dotted line 3 3 in ig. 2; Fig. 4 a view looking toward the right from the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 2, the position ofthe main lever .bei-ng indicated b means of ldotted. lines; Fig.. 5 ay sectiona viewwhen looking in the' direction indicated by the ar# rows from dotted line 5 `5 inl Fig. 2; Fig. 6 a

. dentally in describing the invention. rounding the brakefshaft 21 is a sleeve-shaft sectional lan view. as seen when looking dly fromthe point indicated bythe dotted-lines 6 in Fig. l; Fi 7 a view of the stationary memberof this evice separately similar to a portion of the illustration of Fig.

2, and Fig. 8 a view similar to la Fig. 2, but on an enlarged scale s alternative construction. 1

In said drawings the part marked 21 is an lportion of owlng an ordinary brake-shaft, and it carries on its end a brake-lever 22. As theseparts are not features of our resent invention they will not be further ascribed herein except ilci- 31 leading to oneelement of a reverslng gear (not shown)l or such like device to be o erated, and surrounding this sleeve-shaft 1s 'a second sleeve-shaft 41 leading to another ele-I ment 'of such reversing gear or mechanismto Patented Apr-'n 2e, 190e.

be operated. These several shafts, thus `sleeved together, rest in a bearing in or adj acent to a stationar uadrant-structure 51j, which is securely holte or otherwise fastened to the machine with which our improved selective lever is to operate.

Uv on the sleeve shaft 31 a sub-lever 32 is y attached. In the upper end of this r1 siii-lever isa slot, and within said slot is a 4 rlug 33 which is carried by the s ring arm or spring-actuated' arm 34. n This u 33 has a projecting point 33 which normal y extends into and engages with a notch in a flange on the structure 51, as will be presently described. The sleeve-shaft 41 has a sub-lever 42 rigidly secured thereto, and in its upper end it has a slot in which is mounted a lug 43 carried by a spring-actuated arm 34, and hav ing a projectmg point 43 which is adapted, like the point 33', to engage with a notch in a flange on the stationary part 51,V as' will be presently described. As will be readily, observed, the arrangement of these lu s, spring arms, and notches is such lthat subevers 32l and 42 are locked in their upright positions except when forcibly moved therefrom.

or otherwise rigidly secured to the machine. It embodies a segmental plate 52, having, as is'best shown in Fi 6, a central lar e slot or opening, and this s otvor opening is 'ou'nded on its two longer sides by the depending flanges 53 and 54. These lflanges, as best shown in Figs. 3 Aand 4, have the central" notches (already referredto) withv which the projecting points 33 and 43 are adapted tol engage, whereby the sub-levers are lockedin their upright position.

The mam lever 61, is (pivotally mounted on a rin loosely mounts on the sleeve-shaft 31--t e lower end of said main lever being forked, and ysecured to said rin bv a pivot 63, as 1s best shown'in Fig. 3. aid ring has an extension containin a hole to receive the pivot, and the pivot 1s located below the shafts, on the opposite side thereof from the oint wherek the main leverr and the sub- 'eveis engage, thus decreasing the necessary The structure 51, as b fore stated, is bolted sideway movement of the handle end of the Imain lever Without increasing the length of the sub-levers and the sizeof t quadrant structure. This mainV lever 61 lxtends up through the large` slot or opening kin .the segmental plate 52, and terminates 1n 'a suitable handle by means of which it can coiiveniently be operated. At a point opposite the spring-actuated lugs 33 and 43, this lever has projections 64 and 65. These projections, as is clearly shown in Fig. 2, :ire olf such torni and character that when the lever 61 occupies a central position in the large slot or opening in the segmental plate 52 the said projections will have no effect upon tht` lugs 33 and 43, but said lugs will remain in engaged position, and the sub-levers will remain locked at that point. The lever 61, however, is capable of being swung sidewise, and, when pushed in 'one direction oi' the other, will disengage the lug against which it is pushed. lf, tor example, the lever 61 is ushed toward the right, the lug 3 will bo orced over until its point 33 is beyond or behind the flange 53. At the same time the lug 65 will follow in the same diiection until it is entirely free of the 'flange 54. Meantime the lug 64 has forced the lug 33 partly out of its slot in sub-lever 32 and has itself become engaged with said slot. When the parts have reached this oint, the main lever 61 and the sub-lever 32 ecoine in el'lect one lever, and, when moved back and forth, will rock the sleeve-shaft 31, to any point within the predetermined limit of movement, at the will of the operator. The point 33 of the lug 33, assoon as the movement in question begins, will pass behind the flange 53, and

can not thereafter escape therefrom until it is brought back to upright position, where said lug-point is again opposite the notch in said flange, when it will rengage therewith unless he d forcibly out of such engagement.

Nhen the lever 61 is .thrown to the left (as the parts are arranged in Fig. 2), the operation is practically the same with respect to the sub-lever 42 and the shaft 41 which it operates as that which has just beendcscribed. The rejection 65, however, differs in one respect om the projection 64. Said projection has an upturned lip 65', which, when the lever 61 is forced over, passes to a oint behind theflange 54. Then, when the ever 61 is swung in one direction or the other, in o erating the sub-lever 42, this upturiied lip, Y eing engaged behind the flange 54, prevents the lever 6.1 from being moved sidewise until its return to its middle or upright osition. Likewise, when this main lever is swung to the right, and so engaged with or operating the sub-lever 32, this upturned' lip 65 will, when the lever is swung to one side or the other of its u right osition, bear against the adjacent side of t e ange 54, and it thus serves also to hold the main lever into its engaged or operative position with the sub-lever 32. The subelevers are thus bott;- iield to their middle position et all timesy except when the main lever has been moved sidewise the full distance provided for b the construction and thus fu ly engaged wit i one of them, when the one so engaged can be swung back and forth as desired, the

other, meanwhile, being securely locked in place. All movements of these levers and the attached mechanism except such as purposely otlected bythe operative are ellcctu#- ally precluded.

As will be observed, there is formed on the segmental plate 52, on one side of the slot or opening therein, a detcnt 71. A pawl 72 is pivotally mounted on the lever 61, and a push rod T3 extends upwardly into and through the handle portion of said lever, terminating in a knob Tat. .A spring 75 exerts a pulling torce on the rod 73, and normally holds the pawl 72 into engagement. lt may be disengaged, when desired, by simply pushing down on the knob Tft. The purpose of this is to prevent the lever from being ordinarily so moved as to cause the gear controlled by this leverr to be thrown to the reverse position. .-'llie lever can thus be manipulated, at will, l'or any ofthe other movements desired, without any danger of unintentionally reversing the travel of the apparatus being manipulated. When it is desired to reverse the travel of such apparatus, however, it can readily be done by pushing down with the thumb ou the knob 74, and then throwing the lever el over to the reveise position.

ln tho alternative view, Fig. 8, we have shown a little different construction, in which thc lugs in the slots at the upper ends ol the sub-levers, instead of being carried by arms which are in themselves springs, are carried by pivoted arms `134 and 1111- which. are

actuated by springs 135 and 145. The tlanges on tlie segmental section :32 and the projections on the main lover 61 are also somewhat diiicrently arranged, although having the same e'll'ect, and being substantially the same in all essential respects.

Having thus fully described our said in vention, what we claim as new :uid desire lo secure by Letters Patent, isz*-Vv 1. The combination, in a selective lover, of a stationary structure embodying a segmental plate having a central slot or opening and notched flanges alongside said opening, a plurality ol sleeved shafts, a sub-lever for each shaft and having a slot in its upper end, a spring-operated engaging device secured to each sub-lever embodying a lfug oxtending through thi` slot in the sub-lever to which it is attached, a ccntrallyanrangod operating-lever pivotally mounted at the lower end and cxtoniling up through the opening in the segment, said operating lever having projections on opposite sides'thercof respectively arranged to engage with and force back the lugs ol the spring-opcrated engaging devices on the corres `ionding sub- -levers, each of said projections eilig of such 'length as when one of them. is l'ully engaged llt) 'fish' e-..

1m devices carried by saidfsu-lo-leversl,` there 'be- `llirig'flariges on the segment-structure .alon s1 e the opening therein having notches Wit whichsai spring-operated engaging devices Will eligiage, a main lever of less width than- Lg l'the Width of the slot in the segment-struc- 1 ture and passing through` said slot and mountedu on a- Ipivot ,adjacent -to the shafts and provid) l ,contactrwith 'said 'spring-operated` engaging fgo-jdeyieeaoneuof said roj ections having an up- 'fturned lip which' 'w' l pass through the notch 1n an adjacentflan'ge and engage behind said ange when said lever is moved sidewisein o lle; di'rection"and` with the front of said 215 ,iganfge when said lever is moved'sidewisefin .the'other direction, thereby locking said lever tothefpsition to .Whichlit has 4been moved at- `gall poin`:ts except "When said lip and said notchareinregist j y" 13h'. The combinatlomm a selective lever, of

a statibnary segment-structure havin a slotopening "therein, a'plurality of lsleeve shafts modntedg' in 'la beariri adjacent to said se g ment-strncturarsnbi evers attached to sald shafts, an"o' erat glever pivotally mounted 2 at-a point a` jacent tsaid shafts and'extending up through the slot-opening in the` segmentfstructure, a'detent attached to the seg-,e ment-,structure :alongside vr'the slot-o ening y, 40 therenfat one side," a awl ivoted tot eoperat'inglever andT a apte to engage with n said detjent in onedirection' only,l the said o 'peratinglever being' ,free to be' movedv to lts three other positions Without interference byf l. said detent an 'ceperating pawl, `a rod exi'l tending from-' shidfplvted pawl up throu h the lhandle of'said lever, a lnsh button on t e ulpper end of said rod,I an 'a' spring Within a c amber in said lever-handlewhereby the rod is held normally upwardl and the pawl thus held. into the path of the detent on the segment-structure. j

The combination, in a--selective lever, of

a stationary segment-structure havin a slotopening therein, a'plurality of neste shafts "mounted in a bearm 'adjacent to said se -4 ment structure, subevers attached to sald shafts, one o f which is adapted -when moved in one direction to reverse the movement of the mechanism, an 'operating lev'ei pi'votally mounted at a pomtadjacent to aid shafts and extending up through the ls ot.,-l

op'ening m the segment-structureand adapte to engage separately with the sub-levers,-

'65 a detent'i 4aintsmliel to the segment-structqre ed with projections adapted -tof alongside lthe slot-opening vtherein at. that side-neailest the operating lever when swung to engagyviththejsub-lever adapted to perform the'reversing operation, a paWl mount- 'ed on said operatinglever'and arranged in the lpathjof said. detent when said lever ,is-

thus positioned to engage the detentinfone direction-only, the operatingv lever beingfree to be moved to anyone of its other three po-.

sitio'ns Without interference by said d eteilt and pawl, and means whereby said 'avvlwill be heldflcontinuously'in lsaid pat excejt y when purposely removed therefrom, where accidenta reversing offthe mechanism 1s guarded 'against'while all other permissible' movements of the operating lever are freely..

permitted;-

-5. A selective-,lever system -for automobiles comprisin a pair offmembers ada ted to be connecte v vith thespeed contro g mechamsmcomprlsmg areversmg means, o

a selective lever adapted to enga e either of said pairy of members and shift `t e same in either of two directions, a movable detent.,

"adapted, when the lever is associated with onev 'of said 9 air o f member`s, to restrain the move- @mento said lever in one vdirection only, and ,l means mounted on said lever for shifting said deten-t to permit movement ofthe ,lever in said direction,A the selectivellever being free tp be moved in any one ofits other three d1- r'eetions 'Without ,interference by the movable n etent.

' 6 lna'selective lever systemfor antonio-.4,.-

biles, the combination, ofa pair of members each adapted to' be moved. in opposite directions from a medial position and each adapted to .be connected4 to fspeed. controlling Umechanism, of a selective leveradapted to be moved into en agement withy one or the other of said-pair o'members, locking means for holding said members VinJnedia'l osition, .means carried by the selective'lever or operating said locking means, aiixed sto a movl able paw] ycarrie by the selective ever and ioo adapted to engage s aid fixed stop in one direc.-

tion only and only when said selective lever .is asso'clatedwith thefcorrespondin one ofsaid pair of members, theselective ever being free to be moved to any. of its other posi; tions without interference by said pawl" and means carried-b the selective lever for readily shifting sai pawl away from the fixed stop to permit movement ofthe selective'le--t ver in then'ormally 'restrained direction.

. 7. In a selective leversystem for automobilesythe combination; of a pair of members each ladapted to be moved inoppositedirectironsfrom a medial position and each adapted toy be connected to speed,l controlling mechanism, of a selective lever adapted to be moved imm-'engagement with one orl the other osail Apair of members, locking means meangcarried l5 for holding said embers'in medialI osition, l he-seleetivelexer or oper-y `except in medial ating said locking means, means preventing the association or dissociation of the selective lever with either of said pair of members l position, a fixed st op, a movaloleV pawl carried by the selective lever and adapted to engage said xed stop in one direction only and 'only when said selective lever is associated with the corresponding one of said pair of members, the selective lever being free to be moved to any of its other l .positions without interference by said paWl jmd means carriedlaythe selective lever for readily shifting said pawl away from the iixed stop to permit movement of the selective lever in a normally restrained direction. In witness whereof7 we, have hereunto set our hands and seals at Muncie, Indiana, this ifteenth day of April, A. D. one thousand nine hundred and seven.

THOMAS W. WARNER. FRANK H. JONES. Witnesses:

STELLA TEGARDEN, HARRITTE JOHNSON. 

